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Baker gives Stubbs scheduled off-day

Baker gives Stubbs scheduled off-day

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Drew Stubbs

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LOS ANGELES -- Reds center fielder Drew Stubbs was told before Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Dodgers that he wouldn't be starting on Wednesday. Coming off an 0-for-5, three-strikeout game on Monday, Stubbs responded with three hits and a sacrifice bunt, including an important RBI single in the ninth inning.

"I said, 'Give me all you've got today, every ounce of energy you've got today so you can be off tomorrow'," said Reds manager Dusty Baker, whose club also has a scheduled off-day on Thursday.

Chris Heisey led off and played center field for the Reds in place of Stubbs, who had been the only player to appear in all 69 of the club's previous games.

Entering Wednesday, Stubbs was batting .269 with nine home runs and a .345 on-base percentage. Over his last 12 games, he's hitting .340 (17-for-50). He was tied with Jose Reyes for the league lead in runs scored with 49 and has 20 steals.

Stubbs also has a commanding league lead in strikeouts, with 92.

"It's a concern of mine," Stubbs said. "I think the last three weeks or so, it's been more magnified than at any point of my career because I've had a lot of stuff going on in my head -- a lot of negative thoughts -- that have probably contributed to the way things have gone. Ultimately, it's something I think will come out of. It's something I'm always trying to improve upon.

"At the end of the day, production is what you look for. If you're still helping the team win games, then you're still doing your part."